Vanished Footprints
by Zimithrus1
Summary: Enter the household of Fabre's. It's not as happy as one would seem. Luke, who was an unwanted child from a set of twins, is constantly neglected and beat by his parents. His only comfort is his older twin brother Asch. He forms a plan to get Luke out of Baticul, but as he escapes, The ship is stopped by the Malkuth army! What on earth do they want eith Luke? And what are replicas?
1. Chapter 1

Ah! My first Tales of the Abyss story! :D I love that game! I've acually only started playing it about...maybe a month or two ago? I still have yet to beat it, but I'm pretty far! Anyhow, you came here for a story, not a biography of me playing the game. SO! In this fanfic, Asch and Luke are twin brothers, and I'm also making them young, maybe about ten years old, anywho, Asch has to look out for Luke since their family isn't all the best as people within the manor imagine. So, Asch sneaks Luke out of Baticul, although, that plan was interupted by Malkuth, and all the people on the ship headed to the keterburg port, were held captive and used for isofonic replica research.

Characters might be a little OOC, and I'm sorry about that, but it's needed for the fic. Alright, well, enough up here. Time for the story! :) PS: Also, forgive any small spelling errors. I am human after all ^^;  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~X~POLOUGE~X~

All was peaceful of the manor in Baticul. Shining sun. Chirping birds. Staff and maids hard at work to tidy up as best they could. Today was quite a bustle around the manor. After all, why wouldn't there be one after the birth of a new master? Maids and Servants smiled as they passed Duke Fon Fabre, giving congradualtions. Although, what the small family didn't expect, or anyone else of the manor, was that Suzanne had twins. No one expected it. Not even Duke himself. They had only planned on one baby; Not two. The two didn't know what to do. Shortly after the coincidince, the happy within the manor began to dwindle as the days passed by. Duke stopped smiling more. Suzanne's face began to grow solemn and glum, but only around Luke, the unwanted twin. Around Asch, the wanted one, they were always happy and smiling. They ended up leaving the raising of Luke to other maids and servants. Sure, they would be around, until he started crying, then shifted to the next maid in line. They would never understand why Suzanne did that. Even as the two began to grow older, it just got so much worse. The two tried to keep the twins distant, but it never worked.

Asch and Luke seemed somewhat connected. If one felt sad, so did the other, and vice versa. At times, they could even carry conversations with each other, using only their minds and that special bond. They always got along, well, most of the time. Whenever Luke misbehaved, Asch would call him a 'Dreck' and send him to his room. That wasn't too often, but often enough for Duke to find out. That's when the harsh punishments began for Luke.

Asch would hear his little twin brother scream in pain almost every night. And almost every morning, he would either see a new cut or bruise on Luke. He always brushed it away, and gave a stupid little fake grin, just to make sure he wasn't burdening his brother. Well, as you guessed, as the years passed and the two grew older, the beatings got worse and worse. Suzanne even tried to stop seeing Luke. Beginning to ignore him completely. She had even gone so far as to smother him as he slept so she never had to look at him again. Luckily, one of Luke's only friends, besides Asch; Guy, happened to be up and about. More years, the harsher the punishments...

~X~Five Years Later: Luke and Asch's current age; 10~X~

As soon as Asch heard the screams across the manor start, He jumped up from his bed where he was relaxing. His parents were at Luke's throat again over somthing stupid no doubt. He followed the pain-filled screams. He stopped outside his brother's room. He had to hide behind the open door. If his parents saw him trying to go into Luke's room, he' would never hear the end of it. The screaming stopped. He pressed himself against the wall as he heard footsteps echo in the hall, leaving the room and walking down the halls, not seeing Asch.

When the coast was clear, he slowly eased his way off of the wall and into Luke's room. His mother had the hearing of a wolf. He quietly shut the door. It closed with a soft click, and right as he was turning around. He felt arms wrap around his waist, and a familier head resting against his shoulderblades to cry into his back.

"Was it bad?" Asch asked, trying to turn around to face his brother and to get him to stop squeezing the air out of him.

"Not that bad. Just enough to make me bleed again." Luke muttered quietly.

"You dreck...enough to make you bleed is too much." Asch said, finally able to get his brother to stop squeezing him to death.

Luke faked a small smile. "But I'm alright now." He said, wiping away tearstreaks off his cheeks.

Asch sighed. His brother was always like that. Crying for only a few minutes, then changing his mood as if it had never happened. How could he keep living in that lie where he thought pain only lasted a few seconds?

"Oh well, forget about it, let's go play." Luke said, tugging his brothers hand.

Asch sighed, but cautiously led Luke out of his room and into the garden. Maids were about tending to the flowers They each smiled and waved at the two, keeping Luke being out of his room on the down-low. Luke picked up two sticks and handed one to his brother.

"Let's sword fight!" He smiled.

Asch was still a bit wary at Luke's change in emotions, like always, but he shrugged it off and took the stick that was offered. He had a real sword or two, but he wouldn't dare sword fight with real swords. Luke could get hurt. The two sparred with the sticks, pretending as if they lived in their own fantasy world and they were famous assassins, just training with one another. Once the game ended, becuase the sticks snapped, the two sat in a patch of grass.

"Hey Asch...You think I'll ever get out of here?" He asked, twidling a yellow daisy in his hands.

"Of course you will." Asch said, ruffling his twin brother's long red hair. Almost similar to his, except the fact that he had darker tips and his brother. Plus, his bangs were slicked back.

"Will I leave here by death?" He asked curiously. His mint green eyes glimmered in a hazy confusion.

"No. That won't happen." Asch bluntly said.

"That seems to be the only way out." Luke said, plucking a leaf off the flower. Asch lightly popped him in the back of the head.

"Stop thinking like that you Dreck." Was his blunt, and firm responce.

Luke just slipped into silence, and continued to pick at the daisy, moving onto the soft yellow petals.

"Luke, I've got to get you out of Baticul." Asch said, hopping up. "You don't deserve those unfair beatings." Luke hopped up next.

"Yeah! We're going to leave!" Luke exclaimed.

"Luke...I said I've got to get YOU out of Baticul...I can't leave, otherwise your escape would be pointless." Asch corrected.

"b-But Asch! I don't understand!" Luke quickly whimpered.

"If I leave, Mom and Dad will know I escaped with you. Then they'll find me with you. If that happens, they might kill you." Asch said, almost angry with his parents for doing this to his brother.

"Then I'll stay here with you!" Luke proclaimed, a stern look on his face.

"No Luke. I can't stand hearing you scream, and seeing you hurt. I'm getting you out. But I won't send you alone." Asch said.

"b-But Asch! I don't wanna-"

"I'm getting you out of here even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming to the port, you Dreck!" Asch exclaimed. Gripping his twin brother's shoulders tightly.

"Asch...Do you not want me here either?" Luke asked quietly.

"No, that's not it. I want you out of the city so you won't ever be hurt again. I'm doing this because you're my little brother, and it's my job to look out for you." Asch said, wrapping Luke into a hug.

"Asch..." Luke whimpered, starting to sob.

"Do you understand now?" He asked. Luke nodded.

"Good. Tonight, I'll come to your room. I'll help you out of Baticul." He said.

"Okay." Luke said as he was released from the hug.

"You better get back to your room. Mom and dad will be checking on you soon." He said, ushering his brother off. He only nodded and scurried off to his room.

~X~That Night: 12:29 PM~X~

Asch quietly crept to Luke's room. The door was wide open. He catiously snuck in. Luke was sleeping peacefully. The one time he could ever dream of being happy. Asch shook him alightly to wake him up. He stirred and rubbed his eyes.

"Come on, hurry and get ready." Asch harshly whispered.

Luke quietly slipped off of his creaky bed and made his way over to the closet. He quickly changed into his everyday wear. All he had, was his sleepwear, his everyday wear, socks, undergarments, and one pair of shoes. He didn't have much at all. He was provided with more comfotable luxuries from his twin brother. Which was nicer blankets and a few more clothes his parents didn't recognize that Asch owned.

"I'm all packed." Luke muttered quietly.

Asch took his hand and sneakily led him out of his room, and the manor in the dark of midnight. Only a few city lights were still on. He took him down two city elevators down to the central plaza. He quickly dashed to an air cart. He had to be quick so soldiers wouldn't see them escaping. After all, there was a curfew in affect for all citizens. If they were caught, They were both as good as dead; Luke especially.

The air car quietly made it down to the port. Asch's grip on Luke's hand never let up once. The two snuck around near the port. There was only one more ship leaving port at this time of night. It was headed for the Keterburg port. Asch knew this and had given Luke some extra winder clothes and a jacket. The two stopped at the docking, where only a few people were getting on.

"Alright Luke, I guess this is it." Asch said, smiling, yet sadly. He was happy his brother would finally be safe, but he was sad that he had to leave for him to be safe. Luke tightly hugged his brother.

"Oh, one more thing." Asch said. He removed a pouch of gald from his pocket, about 10,000. "This should be enough to give you about a month at an inn with free food and showers. Afterwards, you might have to find work." He said.

This was so difficult! He wanted to be with his brother so bad. But he was hoping on somthing impossible. The probability of him getting away and never being caught, was equal to a snowball's chance in hell.

"Okay." Luke sobbed, taking the gald and hugging his brother one last time.

"Don't worry Luke, One of these days, I'll come see you when I'm old enough, or you vice versa. I'll write." He promised. He ushered his brother onto the ship.

"Goodbye Asch." Luke said, giving one last, fake little smile, before he disappeared into the ship.

Soon after, the ship departed from Baticul, on it's course to Keterburg port. Asch watched the ship sail away on the ocean until he couldn't see it anymore. he stood tall and held back tears. He knew he was going to see his brother again. he didn't know when, but all that mattered was he was finally safe. He turned from the port, and headed back to the manor. Now, it was sure to be lonely.

~X~X~X~

Luke paced the docks of the ship. The night air carresing him in a cold embrace. he shivered it off and looked up into the starry sky.

"Was this really the only way I could get out? I wanted to get out with my brother...but it wasn't meant to be I guess." Luke sighed to himself.

He leaned against the railings and watched the water break against the ship. Seawater sprayed in every direction down below. Occationally jumping up high enough to create a mist on Luke's shoes and pant bottoms. It was seeming to be a quite peaceful ride, until a deafening noise echoed across the docks. An intence shaking rattled the entire ship. It shook Luke up and made him fall. He was gripping the rails for dear life. He heard people scream from inside. A raid perhaps? Malkuth soldiers burst from the door. There was a long, sandy blonde haired man walking out calmly after them. Red-ish eyes and thin framed glasses.

"Commander Curtiss, who are we going to take for Isofonic replication and research?" A soldier asked.

"Hmmm...Anyone who looks like they'd fit the qualifications." He calmly said.

Was he behind this raid? Why on earth was he interested in replications and isofonic research?

"Qualifications?" Another soldier asked.

"Yes, I don't feel like giving another detailed explination, so I'll simplify it down to the basics. Look for young people, ones that look to have a strong will and dexterity. Maybe far enough as to say, they look used to pain." He said bluntly.

"Like him?" The first soldier asked, motioning right over to Luke, in which was scared and trying to pull himself up from the dock floor. It was wet and slippery from the water that had sloshed onto the dock from the earlier shaking.

"Yes...He looks good. So far, that's three people. We have a good batch tonight." He grinned.

He seemed so cold and hard-hearted. It shook Luke up. If he could just find a way to get up and run, he would. A soldier approached him and seized his arm tightly.

"Ouch!" Luke exclaimed with a growl. he tried to fight back, like he did with his parents, but the soldier looked unphased. So Luke spit in his face.

The soldier groaned in disgust, but only lifted Luke up and let him dangle in the air helplessly. he was used to the feeling of helplessness, so he wasn't as shooken up. Since his brother could no longer protect him, he'd have to start protecting himself.

"This is certianly a lively one." Commander Curtiss grinned.

Luke couldn't tell if it was somthing devious, or somthing sarcastic from the way he grinned so, ominusly.

"Alright, back to our ship, we're finished here." He said, whirling around.

The soldiers, including the one with Luke in tow, followed after him. They all boarded another ship. Now what was going to happen? Luke was scared again.

"Asch..." He whimpered.


	2. Chapter 2

yay! It's chapter 2 of Vanished Footprints! :D

Oh, by the way...I am SOOOO sorry I haven't updated this in like, half a year! DX I got stuck in TOA and couldn't get passed a boss, so I stopped playing the game and lost inperation for this story. The inperation is still gone, but I gotta get this chapter out already! It's just been sitting on my computer for months now, so, Here it is! XD

So anyhow, enough of my ranting or whatever you wanna call it, and more of the story I guess, hehe, we now return you to your regularly schedualed programming...Yes, I am bringing that back by the way. :)

By the way, the chapter is extremely short, sorry.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~XChapter 2X~

Luke was tossed aboard a strange new ship. Somehow, he had a feeling this wasn't according to plan. He was ruthlessly thrown in a cell with two other people.

"Now you kids behave." The man known to be Commander Curtiss smiled before the cell door was locked.

The soldier and Curtiss left, and he, was whistleing. It scared Luke. He began to sob. He hugged his knees tightly. He was very afraid of what was to become of him.

"That poor boy." One of the prisoners muttered.

Luke heard shuffling of footsteps approach and stop next to him. Luke looked up at them with teary and blooshot eyes as he whimpered and sobbed. The mystery person sat down beside him. She looked to be about sixteen.

"Tell me, how old are you?" She asked.

"t-Ten." Luke replied shakily. He wiped at his eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop.

"I'm sorry about my older brother." She said.

"b-Brother? You mean that Curtiss guy?" Luke asked, looking at the girl, still hugging his knees tightly.

"Yes, My name is Nephry. my brother wanted my assistance with his isofonic replication and research. I don't know why though." She said.

"It's scary here...I want my bubba." Luke whimpered, starting to sob and whimper again.

"Is your brother here too?" Nephry asked, trying to comfort the boy.

"Nu-uh...He snuck me out of Baticul...you see, my parents wern't exactly fond of me." He said, beginning to wipe away the never-ending streams of tears down his cheeks.

"That bad huh?" She said, resting her face in her hands.

"I wish I could let you go, but I can't. She said, getting up. I'm going to talk with the other prisoner, I'll be back in a minute." She said, walking towards the back of the cell.

p-Prisoner? Is that what was going on here? Asch was only trying to help Luke be free, not be helpless all over again. Perhaps, Luke would be able to speak with him if he really concentraited. he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and only thought of his brother, searching through the darkness of his own mind. It was as if he was trying to find the right channel to a television, scanning through his mind. Nothing. Guess he couldn't do it right now. He slowly opened his eyes, even though every fiber of his being begged for him to keep them closed.

The rocking of the ship and the uneasyness in his stomach caused him to feel nausiated. He pressed his knees against his chest as close as he could to quell the feeling. Why? Why did everything have to turn out the way they did?

"Asch...I'm scared." Luke whined to himself as he embraced his knees tighter, so he could feel as if he was hugging something.

The thought quelled his nausia. He closed his mint green eyes to see if he could sleep. It did not come easy, but it came.

~X~

Morning breaks in an unknown place. An unknown darkness that felt vaugely familier. Luke blinked sleep from his eyes to see Malkuth soldiers unlocking the door to their cell. Luke uncurled his knees from his arms. He had fallen asleep like that and now he was regetting it, his whole body was stiff and achey, wanting to be moved around. Just then, commander Curtiss stepped into the now unlocked cell.

"Good morning, I hope your sleep was restful." He smirked. Luke despized that sarcasm hiding in his voice.

"You'll be coming with us, don't try and escape, okay?" He smirked with that little mocking tone.

Luke jumped up, then ran out the cell door. He needed to escape, to get away. Sadly, commander Curtiss snagged him and restrained him.

"Now now, we can't have one of our guests of honor running off now can we?" He smirked, a delicious lust for something Luke could not understand was burning behind the man's eyes.

He did not feel safe here. He needed to get away, but how could he? He could not run, because he would only be caught. He could not fight, because he was weak, and only a child. Guess he just had to bear through with whatever was about to come his way...


End file.
